Flying-machine.



R. H. FROELICH.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.30,1911.-

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. H. FEDEL'IG'H.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1911.

1 61339, 1 1 5a Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a m a ,z-

R. H. FROELIOH.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1911.

w I l M Ma inst RUSSELL H. FROELICH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.-

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

Application filed March 30, 1911. Serial No. 618,021.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ri'issnLL H. Fnonuon,

a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l lying-hiachines, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates,,to flying machines, and has for its primary object to provide an improved construction, coi'nbination and arrangen'ient of parts in devices of this character. 7

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved wing construction and improved means whereby the angular disposition of said wings may be moditicd at will, to adapt the machine to raise itself from the ground or to raise and lower its position in the air while in full tlight.

Another object is to provide an improved wing construction whereby the disadvantageous cti ects of air currents from either side can be reduced to a minimum, said construction being further adapted to induce automatically .a tendency to return to normal upright position when the machine is displaced therefrom by such air currents.

A still further object is to provide improved means whereby the pressure on the wing planes can be automatically varied to increase the tendency inherent in the machine to return to normal upright position after it has been displaccd thcrclroni.

(llhcr and further objects will appear in the specification and be specifically pointed out in the appended claims,reference being bad to the :u'rcompanying drawings exemplifying the invention, and in which.

l igure l-is a top plan view of a llying machine constructed in accordance with the principles ol my invcntion. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side clevalion of the same. Fig. l. is an enlarged side olcvation of a portion of Fig. Fig. 5 is a transvcrscsection on the line V-V, l ig. it, parts being shown in section. Fig. i is a similar section on the same line show lug the relative positions of ccrtain parts \rbcu the machincv is displaced from normal posit lull.

llcl'ci'ring more particularly to the (ll'tt\.' inns and to lbc l'-':lli()\i!!|i it ol' the iiivcnthin slum n lh rcin, th noun bo l l'ramlis a skelctonized structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally arranged bars 1 rigidly connected at suitable intervals by struts or cross pieces 2. At theforward end of the body frame is a carrier comprising a plurality of side bars or supports 3 which project vertically downiard and at their lower ends a platform 4, which, as shown in Fig. 3, isprovided with an upwardly deflected portion 5 to adapt the machine to skin over the ground in the event of its descent at a forward inclination. rear, a pair of vertical members 6 serve to rigidly support at their lower ends a cross bar to which and the body frame is secured a bowed runner or skid 7. A pair of horizontal rudder planes 8 are mounted at the rear end. of the machine and a vertical rudder plane 9 is mounted immediately in front of and across the open space between said rudder planes. In the present embodiment a propeller 1.0 is mounted at theforward end of the [lying machine upon a shaft 11 which is journalcd in a pair of cross members 12, a sprocket wheel 13 being keyed intermediately of the cross members 12 and in the same vertical plane 'as a sprocket wheel 14 keyed to the forward end of an engine shaft. 15 driven by an engine 16, which may be of any suitable type. Connecting the sprocket wheels 13 and 14 is an endless chain 17 for transferring power from the engine shaft 15 to the propeller shaft 11. At the rear edge of. the platform -:-I; and on either side thereof are a pair of land wheels 18. lnterniodiatcly of said land wheels and projecting rearwardly from the rear edge of the platform 4: is a seat 19 for the operator of the machine.

In the Projecting upwardly and outwardly from the main body frame, are a pair of auxiliary,

'traiocs or boxliko slruci'vures comprising side bars 20 rigidly connected by cross bars 21. arranged at suitable immediately of the cross bars 21 and. or ranged approximately horizontal when the machine is in normal upright position, are a plurality of aeroplane sections 22 which are arranged spaced from each other vertically but with thcir lateral edges orcrrcaching. Thi arrangement lHi lug said plane sci-lions disposcd diagolmllV across the corncrs bcln'ccn l'.. sidc. nicmbcrs 2t) and thc cross momla'rs :l. ly

is prcl'crably secured by intervals. Disposed in-' means of this construction, the wings of the flying machine are enabled to afford a sutficient support to the air while at the same time presenting freely open passageways for wind from the sides, thus substantially doing away with the greater portion of the tilting effects of lateral gusts of wind.

As shown best in Fig. 4, each of the plane sections 22 is curved from front to rear to produce the necessary vertical lift while the machine is being propelled through the air. In order to provide simple and eflicient means for adjusting the positions of the wing planes comprising sections 22, said wing planes are rigidly mounted adjacent the main body of the flying machine upon a boxlike structure comprising vertical mem bers 23 and cross members 24, the intermediate member 23 on either side, in the present embodiment fbeing journaled upon a cross shaft 25. This construction permits an angular swinging of the wing planes about the shaft 25, as shown in dotted lines in Fig, 4. For effecting this swinging movement, longitudinally arranged bars :26 may be provided on either end with eyelets 27 to which may be secured the ends of ropes or cables 28 which, after passing about guide pulleys 29, are wound about a drum 30 which may be rotated by a wheel 31 disposed adjacent the seat 19.

As shown in Figs. 3 and i, the sectional planes 22 are arranged to overhang rearwardly, to adapt them to bcwarped, if so desired. To provide automatic means for producing this warping, forms one OftllQ obje of this invention, said means being exemplified in the present embodiment by a main sheet or cable 32 which passes over the guide pulleys 33 and is secured at its inner end to a lever arm 34 keyed to a longitudinal shaft 35 from which is suspended. a gasolene tank 36 by means of stirrups 37, such stirrups being rigidly secured to the shaft 35 so that as it swings from side to side as the machine is displaced from normal upri ht position, said shaft 35 will be oscillated in its hearings to produce a side to side movement oi'- the lever arm 34. 3

Referring now to Figs. 1. 2, 5, and 6, it

.wiil be seen that each main sheet or cable 32 outwardly along one of the rear under ar 0. a piurality ot guide pulleys :ear outer corners i .lity of branches main sheet as shown best in liig. the outermost"pulley on each side is disposed slightly nearer the central piane of the machine thanthe pointatwhich the branch 38 is attached to the outermost vane. The branch 38 which connects the in ermediate section 22 with the main sheet joins said main sheet at a point farther from the central plane of the machine than the point "central vertical plane -6, the mam sheet or 'valstherealong. Con- I ranged in series at which said branch is secured to the vane. The branch 38 which is connected to each innermost section 22 on each side joins the main sheet at a point which is considerably farther from the central plane of the machine than the point of its attachment to the vane. It will be seen therefore, that when the main sheet 32 is taken up by a movement of the pendulum 36, the outermost section 2'12 is first. warped and after the branch leading from the intermediate wing vane is drawn around its pulley 38, warping of the intermediate vane takes place.- Finally, if the pendulum 36 moves sufliciently, the inner section 22 is warped by its branch 38 being drawn around its pulley 33. In consequence, there is a successive warping of the outside rear corners of the wing vanes from the outside toward the central vertical plane of the machine. As shown in Fig. 0, the outer section will always be warped the most and the amount of warping will be proportional to the distance of the wing from the of the machine. By this means, the efi'ective resistance of the planes on the depressed side of the machine is increased proportionately to the angular displacement of the flying machine from normal upright position. As shown in Fig. rope of the elevated side is relaxed. In this connection it is to be noted further that while the sections 22 are disposed. approximately horizontal, they are inclined downwardly in some degree toward the center when the machine is in normal upright position, so that as the machine is displaced into some such position as shown in Fig. 6, the resistance of the planes 2:2 on the lowered side is diminished as regards side gusts of wind, while their resistance on the raised side is increased above so that there is thus produced a pressure from the side tending to right the machine This cited in combination with the lifting effects due to warping the planes on the lowered wing, will provide means for eil'ecting the righting of the machine in a rapid manner. Means for supporting the wing plane sections of vertically spaced series and at successively increased'distances from the central vertical longitudinal plane of the machine are preferably provided by arranging the wing frames as shown in Fig. in which the angle between the wing franles above the body frame is substan iaily equal to the angle between each wing 'trame and the central vertical longitudinal plane of the machine below the body.

-What .l claim is: v

1. In an aeroplane, the combination with a body frame, of wing plane sections arextending upwardly and outwardly from said body frame. shid sections being spaced vertically and offset from each other in a direction transverse to the line of flight with the outside lateral edge of each section approximately beneath the inside lateral edge of the section next above it.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination with a body frame, of wing frames projecting upwardly and outwardly from said body frame, the angle between said wing frames above said body frame being substantially equal to the angle between each wing frame and the central vertical longitudinal plane of said body frame below said wings, and aeroplane sections mounted in said frames, said sections being inclined upwardly and outwardly from said longitudinal plane of the body frame.

3. In an acre lane, the combination with a body frame,o wing frames projecting upwardly and outwardly from said body frame, the angle between said wing it frames 'above said body frame being substantially equal to the angle between each wing frame and the central vertical longitudinal plane of the body frame below said wings, and aeroplane sections mounted in said frames, said sections being inclined upwardly and outwardly from said central longitudinal plane of the body frame, and having the outer edge of one plane approximately beneath the inner edge of the next plane farther'out.

4. In a flying machine, the combination with a main body frame, of a plurality of plane sections spaced vertically and at different distances from said body frame, and means for warping said plane sections on one side only and successively toward the central vertical plane of the machine.

5. In a flying machine, the combination with 'a main body frame, of a pair of wing frames projecting upwardly and outwardly from said body frame, said wing frames having their inner ends oscillatable in a vertical plane extending longitudinally of the machine, a plurality of plane sections spaced verticafii; in each wing frame, and means for warping said wing plane sections on one side only.

6. In a flying machine, the combination with a main body, of a plurality of wing plane sections arranged at' different distances from said body on either side of said body, a pendulum swingingly suspended from. said body, and means for connecting said pendulum with a flexible portion of 'each of said wing sections, said means being adapted to warp said sections successively during the displacement of the machine from normal upright position.

'7. In a flying machine, the combination with a main body, of a pendulum swingingly supported thereby, said pendulum being provided with a lever arm, a plurality of wing plane sections mounted on either side of said body, said sections being spaced vertically and offsct laterally one from the other, and means connecting said lever arm with each of said sections, said means being adapted to warp the sections on one side successively from the outermost section toward the center.

8. In a flying machine, the combination with a main body, of a plurality of wing plane sections on either side of said body, said sections being spaced vertically and offset laterally with respect to each other, means for varying the angular dispositions of said sections with respect to a horizontal longitudinal plane through the machine, and means for automatically warping the sections on one side successively.

9. In a flying machine, the combination with a main body frame, of a pair of wing frames projecting upwardly and outwardly therefrom, said wing frames being pivotally mounted at their inner ends on said body frame, a plurality of plane sections carried by each of said wing frames, a fuel tank swingingly suspended from said body frame, means for connecting said suspension with each of said wing plane sections to vary the action of said plane sections, a carrier plat form suspended below said body frame, an engine mounted on said platform, and means mounted on said platform for ad justing the angular positions of the wing frames, said means being operatably connected to said wing frames.

10. In a flying machine, the combination with a body frame, of a plurality of aeroplane sections spaccd vertically from each other and at different distances from said body frame and means for automatically warping the outer rear corners of said plane sections in succession to correspond to displacement of the flying machine from normal upright position.

RUSSELL H. FIMJELICH.

In the presence of- Gno. J. Prnnncnn, J. B. MEGOWN. 

